Ryan Norberg is FWT Rok Senior Champion; Ramos Disqualified After Winning Orlando Final

Floridian Ryan Norberg and PSL Karting have been crowned the 2018 Rok Cup Florida Winter Tour Rok Senior Champion following an action-packed Sunday Final.

Canadian Ryan MacDermid (Prime/BirelART) led the field to green after winning the PreFinal and held the top spot for a few laps until Diego Ramos (Kosmic) went to the point. A large lead pack of six karts showed an early race hunger to get to the lead, with Canadian Logan Cusson (REM/Kosmic) working his way through both Norberg and MacDermid before attacking Ramos. However, for Cusson, his turn in the lead was short lived when Ramos fought back and regained the lead. Cusson then came into contact with MacDermid, allowing Norberg to slide by both and into second.

The race calmed down from there as Ramos was able to build up a lead. Norberg kept close but wasn’t able to challenge until the final few corners when a small mistake by Ramos gave Norberg an opportunity, but to no avail.

Ramos celebrated the victory, while Norberg solidified his position as champion with the runner-up spot. MacDermid crossed the line in third followed by Arthur Leist (TonyKart) and Eduardo Barrichello. Leist was the big mover in the race, moving up 13 positions after started deep in the field following a crash in the PreFinal.

However, following the race, Ramos was excluded after his mechanic was caught using tools on the grid before the race, a big no-no, and MacDermid was penalized two spots for his contact with Cusson, meaning Norberg was awarded the race win, Leist jumped up to second and Barrichello third.

MacDermid was fourth followed by Canadian Nicholas Hornbostel (REM/Kosmic) and then Cusson. Robert Soroka (REM/Kosmic) was ninth, Mark Davis (Prime/BirelART) was thirteenth and Trevor Pace (Goodwood/Intrepid) was a DNF in sixteenth.

In the final championship standings, Norberg earned his third FWT title and was joined by Barrichello and MacDermid on the championship podium. Norberg will go to the Rok Cup International Final in Italy as a prize for his title.

The championship podium (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)